Slitter for corn-cutters.



F. W. SMITH.

SLITTER FOR CORN GUTTERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1909.

Patented Sept.6,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Invert t or. WM

n4: "mam; PETERS cm, wlsnmarmy, a. c.

I. W. SMITH.

SLITTBR FOR CORN GUTTERS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1909.

' Patented Sept.6,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses:

Int/e12 tor:

n-u: mamas PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, u. c.

F. W. SMITH.

SLITTER FOR CORN GUTTBRS.' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1909.

4SHEETS-SBEET a.

W1, finesse: Inventor rm: NORRIS PETERS 1:04, wasmucrcu, n c.

Patnted Sept. 6. 1910.

F. W. SMITH. SLITTER FOR 001m OUTTEES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1909- Patented Sept. 6, 1910.\

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Witnesse s:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. SMITH, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

SLITTER FOB, GORN-CUTTERS.

Application filed February 19, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK WV. SMITH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residingat Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State ofMaine, have invented a Slitter for Corn-Cutters; and I hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a slitting device or slitter for corn cutters.

Briefly it consists of a series of knives automatically adjustable andoperated. These knives are carried in a frame in suitable slots thereinprovided, which frame may be attached to any of the ordinary corncutters now in use wit-h but slight changes therein. Not only myslitting device, but also parts of a corn cutter, which is extensivelyused, are shown in the drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation ofsuch corn cutter with slitter attached: Fig. 2 is a detail showing infront elevation the means for operating the feed of the cutter, and mydevice: Fig. 3 is a top plan showing in detail the slitter and a portionof the feeding device of the cutter: Fig. 4 is a vertical transversesection of the slitter; showing four of the knives in position: Fig. 5is an elevation of the side of the machine opposite that shown in Fig. 1with the slitter attached: Fig. 6 is a detail showing in side elevationa portion of the cutter and the slitter attached thereto: Fig. 7 is atop plan of the slitter, the ring 8 being removed.

Briefly describing the corn cutter, it consists of the frame a providedwith a main pulley 6 upon the shaft 0 which carries the usual beveledgears (Z (Z which intermesh wit-h combined beveled and plane gears e 6carried upon appropriate transverse shafts f The plane portion of thegears c c intermesh in turn with the plane gears h it carried upon theends of the transverse shafts f f which are located directly above thosebefore referred to. All these transverse shafts carry at their otherends feed rolls 9, constituting with the star wheels 2' 2', which areplaced directly in front of the feed rolls 9 g, and are operated by thebeveled gears j 70, the feeding mechanism of the corn cutter. The knivesare carried by the horizontal and vertical knife arms a and Zrespectively. Ordinarily the cutter is provided in front with a trough,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Serial No. 478,980.

through which the corn is carried by an endless belt or chain to thestar wheels 2' i. i

The slitter is shown in Figs. 4 and 7 in transverse section and in topplan, and 1n the other figures is shown in various views as attached toa corn cutter. The head which carries the knives of the slitter is shownin Figs. 4.- and 7 It consists of a plate 1 1, having a central circularopening and preferably annular in form, provided with ears 2 2 (seeFigs. 4 and 7). From the inner edge of the ring or opening of the plateextends the wall 3. The wall 3 is provided with equidistant slots 3 (allradiating from a common center) which should be but very slightly widerthan the knives l l to be employed. The knives 4 a are substantially ofthe shape shown in Fig. 4. They are there shown, and also in Fig. 7, asbeing alternately longer and shorter, but I do not confine myself toknives of unequal length, thus arranged, as the knives may be made ofequal length. These knives are pivoted at the upper outer ends in thehead at 5 5 (being points equidistant from the center) with theircutting edges facing away from the plate 2. Each of the knives isprovided with an ear 6, to which is attached in any convenient methodthe spring 7, the lower end of which is attached to the plate 1 of thehead. Practically the head may be cast in one piece or, as shown in Fig.4, it may be provided with the ring 8 for convenience in pivoting theknives. The means employed for attaching the slitter to the frame a ofthe cutter are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Referring particularlyto Fig. 3, they may briefly be described as consisting of the frame 9which is bolted to a portion of the frame a (see Fig. 6) and of theplate 10, alsobolted to a portion of the frame a (see Fig. 3). At therear of the frame 9 which is pivoted for the purpose is attached theplate 1 of the head of the slitter by means of bolts through the ears 22. The front portion of the frame is provided with the trough 11, anintervening space being left between the rim of the head and the forwardend of the trough. There are also provided two shaft-s 12 and 18 (seeFig. The shaft 12 carries the gear 1% which is driven by means of theintermeshing gears 15 and 16, which latter meshes with the gear 17,which in turn meshes with the plane portion of the combined gear 6. Theshaft 12 is provided with a sprocket wheel 18 (see Fig. 6) which drivesthe chain 19 which passes around an idler near the forward portion ofthe trough 11. The sprocket wheel 18 is provided on either side withoutwardly extending fingers 20 (see Fig. 6). The shaft 13 which islocated directly above the shaft 12 carries a feed roll 21, the shaft 13being driven by the spur gear 22 (see Fig. and being adjustablevertically (see Fig. 6).

In operation the ear of corn is placed within the trough 11 upon thesprocket chain 19, by which it is carried forward between the feed rolls18 and 21, the upper feed roll 21 yielding sufficiently to adjust thespace between the feed rolls 1S and 21 to the varying diameters of theear. These feed rolls carry forward the ear into contact with the knives4t 4, which open sufficiently to allow the ear to be carried betweenthem while effectually slitting the kernels longitudinally of the ear.lVhile the ear is passing between the knives 4 4, the forward end isseized by the star feed 2' which continues the progress of the ear ofcorn toward and into the cutter where the kernels are cut from the earin the usual manner. When the cob has passed completely between theknives at 4:, the springs 7 7, cause the knives to resume the positionshown in Fig. il, when they are ready for another ear.

lVhat I claim is: a

1. The combination of a circular collar provided longitudinally withequidistant slots, the planes of which radiate from a common center,knives pivoted within said slots, means whereby the rear portion of thecutting edge of each knife normally rests under tension against the endof said respective slots, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a circular collar provided longitudinally withequidistantslots, the planes of which radiate from a common center,knives pivoted within said slots, means whereby the rear portion of thecutting edge of each knife normally rests under tension against the endof said respective slots, together with means whereby an ear of corn maybe fed between the cutting edges of said knives, all substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I claim the fore going as my invention, I havehereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of February,

FRANK \V. SMITH. Signed in presence of GEO. E. BIRD, A. G. MoPHnRsoN.

